Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-02-23
AT THE CAPITOL TO-DAY.
THE RETALIATION BILL.
A Spirited Debate in the House.

A Spirited Debate in the House.
The Senate.
Petitions In very large numbers from Grand
Army posts asking for the passage Of the depend
ent pension bill over the presidents veto were
presented from Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana,
Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, New York,
Iowa and Maine.
BILLS REPORTED
Bills were reported from committees and placed
on the calendar as follows: Extending charter Of
Fremens Insurance company OF the District Of
Drevet rank on army Officers for gallant services in
lndlan campaigns To amend the statute concern
ing detail OF army Officers to educational tnstitu-
tlOnS. providing an additional circuit judge for
the second judicial district.
10 encourage the holding Of national industria!
exhibition Of the arts, mechanics and products of
the colored race in the United States In 1883.
BILLS ON THE CALENDAR.
The Senate then proceeded to the consideration
OF House bills on the calendar.
90 Ihe 1lrst bil taken up was one to change the
eastern and northern judicial districts OF Texas,
on which there was some filibustering.
Mr. Vest moved, as substitute for 1t, the bill to
r1t0ry, and spoke in favor of the substitute at
some length.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND LABOR.
The discussion continued till O'Clock, when it
was laid aside, and the diminished business" was
announced, being the bill to create the department
OF agriculture and labor.
MI. Jones (Ark.) made an argumentin support Of
the bill
House of Representatives.
Mr. Reagan asked unanimous consent for the
immediate consideration of the Senate bill incor-
porating the Atlantic and Pacific ship railway
company.
Mr.. Anderson Kan.) objected, and the bill was
referred 10 the committee on commerce.
THE RIVER AND HARBOR BILL.
Mr.. Willis asked that the House nOn-concur in
the Senate amendments to the river and harbor
appropriation BILL but Mr.. Anderson also objected
to this request (Which If granted would throw the
Dill Immediately into conference) and the bill was
referred TO the appropriations committee.
MIR. Willis Immediately reported it back, and,
upon point OF order, it was sent the committee
Mr.. Dingley presented memorials OF the Maine
egisiature IN favor OF legislation to protect Amer
pleuro-pneumonia bill.
THE RETALIATION BILL.
Mr.. Belmont, from the committee on foreign af-
fairs reported the House substitute for the Senate
retaliation BILL and under the special order asked
for its immediate consideration.
Mr. Rice raised the point OF order that the sub
StlIute must Oe referred to the committee of the
whole On the ground that it affected the revenue
The Speaker overruled the point OF order, stat
Ing that there was nothing on the face OF the bill
which showed that 1t would either increase or re-
duce the revenue,
;, In the course of a brief discussion as to the
limitation OF debate Mr.. Rice referred to the sub
st1tute as the Belmont BILL distinction which
Mr. Belmont diSclaimed, stating that 1T was the
committee bill and that it had the approval Of
those who were best qualified to fudge Of our rela
lions with other governments.
1t was finally determined that debate should be
limited to three hours.
MR. BELMONT OPENED THE DEBATE
by dwelling upon the importance Of the subject
which the H0nSQ clyoJ<o sp1,o
question OF the fisheries was one that had engaged
the attention Of the government from its founda-
t1on, and though from time to time temporary ar
rangements had settled it, it had now reached a
alton OF the country. 1t was not a mere CONNER
cial question simply affecting restrictions on
A6sa5sn american The important question
quiesce In repeated violation OF a treaty He
@ briefly sketched the course OF Canadian legtsla-
correspondence recently published be.
tween Great Britain and the United
States; Soon after the adjournment of Con-
10 sell defense the power OF defensive retaliation
should be conferred upon the President. There
nad Deen no question In the Senate as to the ad-
visibility OF giving this power. but the bin as it
came from tne senate was open to certain Oblec-
tions. 1t provided In one section that the Presi-
dent should issue his proclamation in case he
was satisfied that our vessels were denied rights
granted to the most favored nations We had no
treaty with Great Britain containing any favored
on the same footing as any other nation since
uhder the treaty OF peace we had certain rights in
the deep sea fisheries which no other nation except
Great Britain herself possessed. 1t was but fair
10 the executive, when Congress placed
upon him a very great responsibility, that it
Ths he dd not 4hnE the IN sen.f snc tin
therefore favored the adoption Of the substitute
SOMETHING MUST BIZ DONE TO PROTECT THE NATIONAL
HONOR.
Mr. Rice said that there should be no party in a
question OF this 1mpOrtance-a question which af
fected the entire nation. When he had alluded to
being misled by the fact that the report made
to the House did not purport to be the re-
port OF the committee on foreign affairs, but
not party measure, but had been passed after
careful consideration and able discussion. by the
votes OF senators On both sides OF the chamber.
Something must be done to protect our national
nOnOr. During the past year 100 of our vessels
had been subjected to search, and some OF them
at Canadian ports for purposes OF trade. It was q
very vital question to American honor whether a
canadian officer possessed such a right OF search
A VESSEL NAMED "GRovKR CLEVELAND
had been stopped and a vessel named at. f. Bay
ard had been warned OF as q suspicious charac-
ter. 1t was important that there should be power
somewhere to protect American honor when afYec-
tea tea In SO vital point as this The Senate
smut out our vessels. we would shut out her fish.
II She shut the door in our face we would saw
"not at home" when she sent up her card to us
The substitute bill suggested violation of our
treaty obligations with Great Britain, which, TO
his mind, was absolutely unnecessary and not
only unnecessary, but impOlitic The Senate bin
promptly and enectually covered every necessity
OF the case. We did not want any war with Great
Britain. =
THIS GAscoNADING TALK ABOUT WAR
with Great Britain was nonsense We could not
AFFORD to go to war with Great Britain.
Mr.. Mill1ken Ma1ne.)-Suppose she should go to
war with us?
Mr.. Rice replied that we would undoubtedly
whip her In the end but that there was no neces-
sity for war. One year OF exclusion OF Canadian
nSh would bring TO an end all the injuries and out
RACES which were being perpetrated upon our fish,
ermen.
Mr.. Davis (Mass.) spoke in support OF the Senate
bill and appealed for action which would preserve
the interests Of the hardy fishermen OF New Eng
land.
Mr.. Clements (Ga.) stated that the substitute
was committee measure and materially different
from the Belmont bill, and he regretted that In
the discussion OF so grave question as was now
pending the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr
Ricel should seek TO give 1t partisan ttnge The
trouble with Canada had originated In what had
been called
"A MKRE SKIRNISH ABOUT FISH,
but 1t had assumed larger proportions than q
skirmish. The Ameaican flag had been hauled
down and 15O American vessels had been
searched or warned of, and the
honor OF the government. was involved.
He cOntended that the remedy was better provided
In the substitute than in the Senate bill and he
criticised the latter measure for claiming only the